LOL: What does it mean to torture players?

The atmosphere for the final had been building since the night before.

The entire League of Legends community on the internet was thrown into a frenzy of excitement because of the appearance of the name [EDG.Mo].

Discussions about the Spring Split Finals have once again dominated major forums, social media platforms, and video websites, reaching unprecedented levels of popularity.

[Everyone stand up! God has returned!]

[I'm announcing something: I'm Mozi's dog! He's been on leave for two months, and I felt like my youth had faded away, but today it's finally come alive again!]

[BLG held an emergency meeting overnight to discuss the impact of player Mo's piece placement in Teamfight Tactics on his laning habits in Summoner's Rift.]

[Uzi: Listen to me, thank you. Because of you... I feel like I'm reliving old memories.]

[Stop the unwarranted criticism! Two legends from different eras meeting in the finals—that's the best script ever! Youth is back, though it's cruel, but tonight, only one of these two youths will walk off the field standing tall!]

Why don't you just say that the stain can't leave the field? Who can beat Mozi?

[About the incident where my boss begged me to come back and clock in because I had taken too long a vacation, only to find out it was for the finals]

[Predicting a scenario: the classic five-ban top lane combo, then Mozi pulls out a hero no one's ever seen before, gets a solo kill at level three, clears the top lane in ten minutes, ends the game in twenty minutes, and goes home to have late-night snacks with his girlfriends.]

Netizens' witty comments kept popping up, creating a lively and entertaining atmosphere before the match.

But when the final day actually arrived, outside the Shanghai Hongqiao Tiandi Performing Arts Center, the purest tension and passion belonging to esports completely overwhelmed everything else.

Outside the venue, black and white flags and blue and white flags stood out clearly on either side of the entrance.

EDG fans held up signs that read "Silver Dragon Knight, crush the heavens," while BLG fans responded with the slogan "Swords aimed at the silver dragon, walking in the light."

The air was thick with the smell of gunpowder, yet it was also enveloped by a shared sense of anticipation.

Inside the venue, the lights were dazzling and every seat was taken.

On the huge circular screen, highlights of the two teams' seasons are being played.

Every brilliant move drew cheers.

The atmosphere in the backstage lounge was completely different.

On BLG's side, the coach was giving final tactical instructions. His voice was a little hoarse, clearly indicating that he had put in a lot of effort for this final.

"Remember, our core strategy remains the same: protect the bottom lane! Early game vision is crucial; we absolutely cannot allow their jungler and support to make any moves easily. Bin, top lane, your task this game is simple—play it safe! I know you like to make plays, but not today. The opponent is Su Mo; your victory is simply ensuring your own survival!"

The young top laner, known as Bin, pursed his lips tightly and nodded vigorously.

His eyes showed tension, but even more so, an excitement that yearned to fight.

The team's core player, legendary marksman Uzi, appeared relatively calm.

He was resting with his eyes closed, adjusting his breathing.

Sensing his teammates' tension, he slowly opened his eyes and said, "There's nothing to be afraid of. We have our own way of playing. Just play your own game and trust me."

That simple sentence acted as a reassurance, easing the tense atmosphere in the lounge considerably.

In reality, the stains were just something people talked about.

He knew very well that he had no chance of winning against that man no matter how hard he tried, so he might as well keep a calm mindset and just do his best.

Meanwhile, the rest area for EDG was relaxed.

Abu and the factory manager didn't even make any further tactical arrangements; they simply reminded everyone to pay attention to equipment debugging.

Su Mo leaned back on the sofa, wearing headphones, seemingly listening to music, or perhaps already asleep.

Jiejie leaned closer to him and whispered, "Brother Mozi, what are you planning to do in the first round? Want me to come up with something for you?"

Su Mo smiled and said, "We'll head to the other side of the military training area."

"Okay!" Jiejie understood and retreated.

Everyone understood that with this man around, the tactics were the simplest and most ruthless.

When the host announced the players' entrance in the loudest voice, the atmosphere in the entire venue was completely ignited.

"Let's welcome BLG!!"

"And, our defending champions—EDG!!"

Su Mo walked at the back of the group, strolling leisurely onto the stage.

The moment his figure appeared on the big screen, the roar of the crowd nearly lifted the dome of the entire venue.

He simply waved casually at the audience, which elicited an even more frenzied scream.

"Alright, viewers!" Miller, adjusting his headset, announced from the commentary booth, "Welcome to the final showdown of the LPL Spring Split! A clash between a new king and an old god, an ultimate collision of spear and shield! Now, let's focus our attention on the highly anticipated ban/pick phase!"

As both players took their seats, the banning process officially began on the giant electronic screen!
In this match, BLG had the first choice of sides and chose the blue side.

BLG made no hesitation in banning their first three picks; their goal was so clear it was almost suffocating.

Jayce, Irelia, Kennen!
"Five bans on top lane! It's that familiar formula again!" Wawa immediately exclaimed. "It seems that even with Uzi on the team, BLG's fear of Mozi is deeply ingrained! They're going to give this legend all the respect they can!"

EDG's bans and picks, on the other hand, seemed nonchalant. They banned Rakan, Lulu, and Fryegor, who are currently strong picks, with the intention of disrupting BLG's most proficient support system and jungle rhythm.

It's time to choose!

BLG, on the blue side, locked the first floor almost without any thought!

"Jinx, the Loose Cannon!" Miller's voice suddenly rose, "Uzi! On the finals stage, he unhesitatingly picked one of his most representative late-game carry champions! The Loose Cannon that once rampaged across the world stage is back!"

The entire stadium erupted in cheers!

Everyone knows that BLG has revealed their trump card!

Faced with this move, EDG calmly picked Aphelios and Thresh for their bot lane, a classic combination that combines laning strength and late-game potential.

BLG's second and third picks were quick as well. The support picked Tahm Kench, the River King, providing Jinx with ultimate protection. The mid laner locked in Viktor, the Mechanical Herald, a late-game carry capable of providing stable control and area-of-effect suppression.

When it was EDG's turn to make their third pick, Scout took Ryze, the rune mage. This champion's support capabilities were clearly intended to complement the team's upcoming tactical plans.

They entered the second round of election bans.

As the red side, EDG banned first, and they continued to target BLG's possible top lane picks by banning the core of the Demolitionist system—Demolitionist, and the team fight weapon—Lost Fang.

BLG then gave their last two bans to the top lane!

Pantheon, the Unyielding Spear!
Aatrox, the Darkin Blademaster!
"Five bans on top lane! BLG finally executed the most thorough five-ban-top lane strategy!" Guan Zeyuan adjusted his glasses, his tone grave. "They're using the ban picks to tell Su Mo that we won't let him get comfortable champions no matter what!"

The ban on voting has ended, and the election process continues.

EDG's fourth pick, Jiejie locked in Lee Sin!
A jungler with excellent early-game tempo!

Upon seeing this choice, BLG's coach frowned, immediately understanding EDG's intentions.

BLG's last two picks were Xin Zhao, the Demacian General, for their jungler. Xin Zhao is also a very strong early-game champion, intended to counter Lee Sin in the jungle.

In the top lane, they picked the most reliable tank hero – Ornn!
"Ornn! BLG has picked Ornn for Bin!" Miller analyzed. "This is the safest choice! Ornn has extremely strong resilience and can farm items in lane, minimizing the losses from recalling. BLG's idea is clear: as long as the top lane can hold its own, they can drag the game into the late game, and perhaps that's theirs!"

All eyes were on EDG's final pick, the one that belonged to Su Mo.

Given that he is targeted by five bans and his opponent has picked Ornn, a tanky champion, what will he do to counter this?

The hero's portrait flashed rapidly before finally locking on!
"Renekton, the Butcher of the Desert!" the child exclaimed in surprise. "A crocodile! This is rarely seen in Mozi's hero pool. Could it be some new strategy?"

It's no wonder that Wawa was suspicious; the main reason is that this hero just doesn't fit Su Mo's style. He has to play something unconventional for people to think he's normal.

Regardless, the lineup is already set!
Blue team BLG:

Top Lane: Ornn, the Mountain's Hidden Flame
Jungler: Xin Zhao, the Grand Marshal of Demacia
Mid Lane: Viktor, the Machine Herald

Marksman: Jinx, the Loose Cannon

Support: Tahm Kench, the River King
Red team EDG:

Top Lane: Renekton, the Butcher of the Sands

Jungler: Lee Sin
Mid Lane: Ryze, the Rune Mage
Archer: Aphelios, the Reaper of the Crescent Moon
Support: Thresh, the Chain Warden
"The lineups are finalized!" Miller concluded. "BLG has drafted a near-perfect 'four-protect-one' lineup! They have Jinx and Viktor providing double protection in the late game, and Ornn and Tahm Kench offering unparalleled tankiness in the front line! EDG, on the other hand, has opted for a completely aggressive lineup! They're practically announcing to everyone that they're not going to wait for the late game!"

As the hero loading screen finished, that familiar female system voice resounded throughout the venue.

Welcome to Summoner's Rift!

The match officially began, and the ten players from both sides quickly purchased equipment and left the base. After taking defensive positions at key locations in the river, they returned to their lanes smoothly without probing with a level 1 team fight.

For BLG, their lineup is not strong in the early game, and a stable start is the situation they most hope to see.

EDG, on the other hand, is waiting for Su Mo, their engine, to warm up.

On the top lane, the minion waves slowly converged.

Su Mo's Renekton and A Bin's Ornn gaze at each other across the minion wave.

From level one, Bin played Ornn very cautiously, only using the aftershocks of his Q skill [Volcanic Eruption] to last-hit ranged minions, and never venturing forward easily.

“Bin’s laning phase was very solid,” Miller commented. “He knew very well that if he was caught out by Mozi’s Renekton, he would be in a hopeless situation.”

However, the moment both sides reached level three, Su Mo made a move!
He seemed to have timed it perfectly, using his E skill [Charge] to dash through the minions and instantly close the distance!

Bin reacted extremely quickly, immediately activating W [Bellfire Breath] in an attempt to evade the crocodile's control using the "Unstoppable" state.

But Su Mo's goal was not to knock him unconscious at all!

The moment E came in, Su Mo's red rage was already more than half full. He auto-attacked Ornn and at the same time fired a Q at the minion in front of him, instantly filling up his rage!

Immediately afterwards, the red-fury W [Ruthless Hunt] bit down hard, stunning Ornn, who had just breathed fire, solidly on the spot!
A basic attack followed by a stylish retreat with a second E move!

"Beautiful! A flawless trade of blows!" Wawa spoke incredibly fast. "Brother Mozi used minions as a springboard, perfectly calculating the timing of his rage and skill combos. While dealing maximum damage, he used his second E to create distance, and Ornn couldn't even touch him!"

After just one blood exchange, Bin's Ornn's health dropped by nearly a third, forcing him to use his first health potion.

And this is just the beginning.

Meanwhile, battles also broke out on other routes.

In the mid lane, Scout's Ryze, with his skill flexibility and wave clear advantage, steadily suppressed FoFo's Viktor and gained lane control.

The bot lane presented a completely different picture. Uzi's Jinx and Crisp's Tahm Kench combination displayed formidable lane dominance. Uzi's last-hitting skills were like an art form, always managing to poke Viper's Aphelios during weapon switching. Viper and Meiko were forced to abandon the minion wave and struggle to farm under their tower.

Both junglers also began to make their own plans.

BLG's jungler Weiwei knew the core of the team well. After clearing the red and blue buffs, his Xin Zhao went straight to the bottom lane river, trying to find an opportunity to help Uzi expand his advantage.

EDG's Jiejie completely followed Su Mo's pre-match instructions.

After his Lee Sin finished off the double buffs and Gromp, and reached level three, he glanced at the minions in the top lane that were being controlled, and without any hesitation, headed straight for the top lane!

On the top lane, after completing that exchange of blows, Su Mo continued to control the lane.

Bin's Ornn was already pinned down in front of the tower, and he was even being extremely cautious about sniffing experience points.

The minion wave was slowly pushed into BLG's turret by Su Mo.

The time has come!
"Jiejie's here! He's circled around from the tri-bush in the blue side's jungle! BLG's vision didn't spot him!" Miller's voice was filled with tension. "They're going to attack Ornn! This is a level 3 tower dive!"

On the screen, Su Mo's crocodile had built up half of its rage, directly tanking the damage from the turret, and used its E skill to dash forward again!
Upon seeing this, Bin immediately flashed behind the tower!

However, Su Mo seemed to have anticipated his flash location and flashed after him as well!

Ornn's W skill, "Ruthless Hunt," was used, pinning him back to the spot where he had just landed!

"He flashed! Brother Mozi flashed and stunned Ornn!"

Jiejie's Lee Sin burst out from the bush behind the tower, used his W skill to support the Renekton, and landed a precise Q [Sonic Wave] on Ornn!
After Su Mo used his WQ skill, he immediately used his second E skill to pull himself out of the tower.

Jiejie followed up with her second Q, and with the help of the red buff's burn, she secured the kill on Ornn!

"First Blood!"

The notification of the first kill echoed throughout the entire arena!
Jiejie's Lee Sin tanked the last tower hit, leaving him with barely any health, and then gracefully departed!
"Perfect! An incredible top-jungle synergy!" Wawa roared excitedly. "From Mozi's lane control to Jiejie's flank, and their perfect calculation of the tower's aggro! BLG's top lane gave up first blood just three and a half minutes into the game!"

Five minutes into the game, the first dragon spawned.

Jiejie had just completed a gank in the top lane and was recalling to base to replenish his supplies, while BLG's jungler Weiwei was active in the bottom half of the map.

Without any hesitation, BLG immediately secured the first Hextech Dragon.

"BLG secured the first dragon, which was a very rational resource exchange," Guan Zeyuan analyzed. "However, in terms of the overall situation, the value of a dragon is far from enough to compensate for the chain reaction caused by the first blood in the top lane."

The facts perfectly corroborated his analysis.

Su Mo's crocodile, with the economic advantage of first blood, returned to the lane and immediately built a Tiamat.

Facing a Renekton with Tiamat and a higher level, Bin's Ornn completely lost the chance to lane and could only hide outside the experience zone, watching helplessly as his turret plating was gradually eroded.

From this moment on, EDG firmly controlled the pace of the game.

After freeing up the top lane, Jiejie's Lee Sin began frequently invading Weiwei's jungle, stealing his jungle camps and suppressing his development. Scout's Ryze also used lane priority to constantly coordinate with Jiejie, putting pressure on BLG's mid and bot lanes.

BLG's defenses were forced to retreat completely. Their proud "four-protect-one" system was unable to smoothly pass through the development period in the face of EDG's storm of attacks.

Ten minutes later, the Rift Herald spawned.

This is the first key point of contention for resources between the two sides.

Without any hesitation, the five EDG players cleared the river vision and immediately began to move the Rift Herald.

"EDG has initiated the team fight! BLG must engage! This is their only chance to turn the tide!" Miller's voice became tense again.

BLG had no choice but to bite the bullet and come.

The two sides engaged in a fierce battle for vision at the entrance to the river.

Just as the BLG team was cautiously probing forward, Meiko, who had been hiding in the bushes on the flank, made a move!
His Thresh, with a perfectly angled Q skill [Death Sentence], accurately hit the jungler Weiwei who was walking in the lead!

"Hooked! Meiko hooked Xin Zhao!"

Without hesitation, Meiko followed up with a second Q, and then used his E skill, "Pendulum of Doom," to pull Xin Zhao and Tahm Kench, who was trying to protect him, backwards simultaneously!
Jiejie's Lee Sin seized the opportunity and delivered a "Round Kick" that sent Xin Zhao flying back into the crowd!

Scout's Ryze activated his ultimate ability, "Warp," and teleported Su Mo's already eager Renekton to the back of BLG's formation!
"They're driving! EDG is driving around them from behind!"

The crocodile landed and activated its ultimate ability, "Ultimate Domination," charging directly towards BLG's only hope—Uzi's Jinx!

Uzi used Flash, but Su Mo's Renekton used two E skills plus Flash to chase him down. A red-rage W skill fixed him in place, and with Ryze's damage, he was instantly killed!

"Uzi is down! Uzi was instantly killed!" Wawa spoke at breakneck speed. "BLG's core damage dealer is dead in an instant! The team fight has collapsed!"

Without their ADC, BLG collapsed like a house of cards. In the end, EDG, at the cost of their support's death, pulled off a perfect 1-for-4 team fight and secured the Rift Herald!
The suspense of the match seemed to have been prematurely ended at this moment. (End of Chapter)